Wellington HF456 damaged by flak, returned to Skipton on Swale airfield.
On the night of 22nd / 23rd June 1943 this aircraft was one belonging to 432 Squadron that had carried out an operational flight to bomb Mulheim, this crew set out from Skipton on Swale airfield at 23.32hrs and bombed the target area but sustained flak damage to the wings, fuselage and the front turret. The crew made a safe return to base landing at Skipton on Swale at 04.48hrs.
Pilot - Sgt Stanley Kyle Atkinson RCAF.
Navigator - P/O R Rawsthorne.
Bomb Aimer - Sgt William Alexander Grant RCAF.
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - P/O Alfred William Chubb RAFVR (155352).
Rear Gunner - Sgt Herbert Albert Turner RCAF (R/18079).
Stanley Atkinson was the son of James Henry and Ethel (nee Treadwell) Atkinson and was born on 21st December 19422 in Fort Sakatchewan, Alberta, Canada. His father was a vicar and the family moved Kapuskasing, Ontario before 1930 where he went to school. He was still a student when he enlisted into the RCAF in North Bay, Ontario on 4th September 1941. After training in Canada he was awarded his Pilot's flying badge on 17th July 1942. On arrival in the UK he trained at 6 (P)AFU, 22 OTU and 1535 BAT Flight and was posted to 424 Squadron on 6th March 1943. He was then posted to 432 Squadron on 1st May 1943 and received a commission on 15th July 1943.
On 27th / 28th September 1943 Atkinson, Chubb and Grant were flying in Wellington HE817 when it was reported as lost on Ops to Hannover. F/Sgt Grant became a POW, but P/O Atkinson and P/O Chubb were killed. P/O Atkinson was twenty years old. P/O Chubb was an old man in terms of Bomber Command ages, at the age of thirty five he was one of the oldest members of 432 Squadron killed in the whole war, he received his commission on 15th July 1943 to the rank of P/O on probation (emergency).
Herbert Albert Turner RCAF (R/18079) was killed on 16th December 1943 while flying with 432 Squadron and was twenty four years old. He was killed when Lancaster DS831 was shot down on Ops to Berlin and is buried at Leeuwarden Protestant Churchyard, Holland. This day became known as "Black Thursday" and is well documented on the internet and in a book written by Mr Richard Knott in the mid-2000's.
Wellington HF456 was built to contract B124362/40 by Vickers Armstrong's at Chester and was delivered to 48 MU at Hawarden on 4th May 1943. It was taken on charge by 432 Squadron at Skipton on Swale on 4th June 1943. On 23rd June 1943 it sustained minor Cat.Ac damage which saw it repaired on site. 432 Squadron moved to East Moor on 16th September 1943. It sustained Cat.Ac/FB damage at East Moor on 21st September 1943 and was again repaired on site. It was returned to 432 Squadron on 9th October 1943. On 11th November 1943 it was transferred to 12 OTU at Chipping Warden. Minor Cat.Ac/FA damage resulted on 6th September 1944 and a repair on site was carried out. The aircraft remained with 12 OTU until 17th June 1945, five days before the unit disbanded on 22nd June 1945. The aircraft was later struck off charge as scrap on 12th May 1947 after a long period of storage.